Kenneth Edward Smith
Kenneth (Ken) Edward Smith, 88, of Ponte Vedra Beach, passed away on October 10, 2025. Ken was born on March 8, 1937, to his loving and hardworking parents, Kenneth Charles and Mary Dolores in East Orange, NJ.
He graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep, in Newark, NJ. He received his bachelor’s degree and his Master of Business Administration from Seton Hall University. As an undergraduate student, Ken was very active in campus activities. He was President of the Economics Club, sports editor of both the college newspaper and yearbook, and associate sports director of WSOU, the college radio station. Ken was the voice of Pirates basketball, as their play-by-play announcer for three years.
For these contributions to the Hall, Ken was selected in 1958, to Who’s Who Among American College and University Students.
After graduation, Ken joined the Prudential Insurance Company in Newark, NJ, as a management trainee. After service in the United States Army, Ken was transferred to Prudential’s northeastern home office in Boston, MA.
In Boston, Ken met and married the love of his life, Loretta, was blessed with a son, Kenny, and rose through the ranks to an executive position.
In 1977, he was transferred to Prudential’s southeastern home office in Jacksonville, FL. He spent the next 20 years in various executive positions, retiring in 1997 as Vice President and Chief Operational Officer of Prudential’s Small Business Operations.
Ken believed in giving back to his community. He was a graduate of Class V of Leadership Florida and served on the Board of FSCJ. He was a Captain for the United Way’s annual fundraiser. and was most proud of his service on the Board of Hospice of Northeast Florida. Finally, one of the most rewarding positions was as the President of the Board of the Boys Club of Northeast Florida, for which he was awarded the Boys Club Presidential Medal.
After moving to Ponte Vedra Beach in 2006, Ken volunteered to be a storyteller at the TPC Sawgrass and spent 12 years hosting guests from all over the world, giving tours of the club house and taking them to see the famous 17th Island Green. As a storyteller, Ken made new friends with other storytellers, and he felt becoming a storyteller was one of the best decisions of his life.
Ken loved golf and played for over 60 years. He and Loretta spent golf vacations all over the US, Bermuda, and Ireland.
Ken is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Loretta; the pride and joy of his life, son, Kenny (Cortne); his sister, Kathryn Logan of Holmdel, NJ; and his nephew, Scott (Jodie) and their family.
